Fireman tells of 'massacre' ordeal

Fires were lit at the scene of the brutal murders

A fireman has told the Clydach murders trial of the grisly task of removing bodies from the scene.

Neil MacPherson was joined by colleagues in a fingertip search of the house at Kelvin Road, Clydach, which had been set on fire after Mandy Power 34, her mother Doris Dawson, 80, and two daughters Katie, 10, and Emily, eight, had been beaten to death.

Katie Power was carried by firemen from the house

Mr MacPherson told Swansea Crown Court of the moment he had pulled one of the children from the house and begun resuscitation when he noticed a large blow to the child's head and realised she was dead.

The jury was told that Mr MacPherson had later employed defendant David Morris, 39, of Craigcefnparc, to do building work on his home and discussed the murders at length.

Mr Morris - who denies four counts of murder - told the fireman he had sex with Mrs Power two nights before she died.

Other firemen called to give evidence on Monday described battling their way through thick smoke at the house to find any occupants.

They crawled up the stairs to the landing, where the children, Katie and Emily, were found first, then their mother.

David Morris denies four counts of murder

Mr MacPherson helped a colleague to drag the first body free before another fireman brought out a second child's body.

Paramedics declared all the victims were dead and their head injuries indicated that it was a case of murder and not a tragic fire.

Mrs Dawson's body was later found in her bed with severe head injuries.

The scene was earlier described in court as being a "massacre".

Fire officers spoke of their distress at what they discovered at the scene.

Also in evidence, the jury was told of the conversation between Mr MacPherson and Mr Morris, who had discussed the murders during building work on the fireman's home.

Mr Morris was first interviewed by police while he was working on the house, but he had seemed quite relaxed, the court heard.

"From what I remember he was still seeing her (Mrs Power) up until the time of the murders," said Mr MacPherson.

The pair had discussed speculation that Mrs Powers' lover Alison Lewis was connected with the killings.

"David Morris said that he would be surprised that she could do something like that because she was close to Mandy and the children."

The trial continues.